"My Boots" by Jill Amber Chafin

 – sturdy and sensible Heaven

They transformed her into a fierce she-god.

Jill Amber Chafin is a freelance writer, aerial dance teacher, and mother to two small children in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She co-hosts a nation-wide writers’ critique group where she teaches workshops on the craft of writing. She is currently querying agents for her domestic suspense novel. Next up is a young adult novel, her memoir, and a children’s story inspired by her son. This essay is one of many stories about her unique childhood growing up in a log cabin without running water.

Author’s Talk

Jill Amber Chafin

This story is one of many from my unique childhood of growing up in the wild woods of Wisconsin. My dad was a city boy from Chicago, my mom from the suburbs. Together they embarked on a back-to-the-land adventure, moving us to a rugged 20-acre plot of land in the fall of 1985—two months before winter set in. I was almost five years old, and my brother was seven. My dad, with no building experience, managed to build a log cabin by hand, along with the generous help of hard-working locals. 

Within months, the memories of flush toilets, hot showers, and central heating were slowly replaced with nonstop adventures of climbing trees, discovering hidden caves, diving into cool ponds, and gorging ourselves silly with plump blackberries off the vines. 

We lived in this cabin nestled deep in the woods for eleven years, all without running water. Even though I envied certain parts of my peers’ lives, like their cozy pajamas and heated cars, I cherished my feral life in the woods. There was a beauty beyond words to being one with nature—a stillness that touched every part of my soul. 

As a young adult, I struggled to connect with the “normal” world. And to be honest, I still do. I long for those cold, chilly nights because they made me feel alive. I long for the towering trees because they spoke to me in a language I could understand. The real world can be so overwhelming and confusing. I now find solace in long hikes and retreating to nature whenever I can. And even though I long to return to such a rustic lifestyle, I can’t give up hot showers. That’s one modern invention I can’t live without. 

In case you’re wondering, yes, I now own a pair of Sorel boots. They have fluffy trim and sparkly laces. And I don’t care what anyone says, I’ll wear them forever. — Jill Amber Chafin